CHICAGO – Following the news of the overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“While we knew this day was coming, I don’t think anyone can be fully prepared for the devastating impact of this attack on women’s reproductive rights. I am appalled, but not shocked.

CHICAGO — A new state-of-the-art health wellness center is coming to the West Side of Chicago thanks to the Illinois Senate Democrat-backed Rebuild Illinois plan.

“Health equity is — and always has been — one of my top priorities,” said State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago). “Access to quality health care should be a right — not a privilege. By bringing this facility to the West Side, we are signaling to local residents we notice the inequity and inequality and our system and we are committed to doing something about it.”

CHICAGO – While the state continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, people are still struggling to get back on their feet following the immense financial distress it caused.

State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) announced a new assistance program that will provide Illinois homeowners with much-needed housing relief.

“No one should have worry about how they’re going to keep a roof over their head,” Aquino said. “Housing is a basic human right. Just because we are trending toward normalcy, doesn’t mean people aren’t still feeling the pandemic’s affects each day. Families need us now more than ever.”

CHICAGO – Carjackings are on the rise across Chicago, often leaving victims to pay the price for someone else’s doing when they go to retrieve their vehicle from an impound lot. This all-too-common circumstance led State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) to lead conversations about why victims shouldn’t be on the hook for these fees.

“When someone is a victim of a carjacking, they are already dealing with a traumatic experience that could be worsened by burdensome fees they weren’t even at fault for,” Aquino said. “Ending this practice is about economic security for folks who have already been victimized.”

Chicago will no longer force victims of carjackings to pay for towing and storage fees to retrieve their vehicles. The City Council voted unanimously this week to approve a measure to waive such fees if the victim is able to obtain a police report verifying their car was stolen. 

CHICAGO. – State Senator Omar Aquino’s (D-Chicago) legislation that protects higher education students from debt relief scams was signed into law today. The law prevents scams from hurting student borrowers who are already struggling to make their student loans payments.

“Unregistered student loan debt relief providers target these students, charging them excessive fees for services that can be accessed for free throughout the U.S. Dept. of Education. We must protect borrowers from these scams,” Aquino said.

AURORA – The Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits law enforcement from cooperating with immigration authorities, was signed into law Monday. State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) championed the legislation in the Illinois Senate.

The initiative also limits law enforcement inquiries regarding someone’s immigration status and ends detention immigration centers contracts in Illinois.

“Today, we are providing certainty for immigrant communities across Illinois,” Aquino said. “This law ends the practice of hosting immigration centers in our state, because their very existence opposes who we are: one of the most welcoming states for immigrants in the nation. Also, immigrant families will no longer live in fear of being questioned about their immigration status by local law enforcement officers.”

CHICAGO – This week, in the Hermosa (Spanish for "beautiful") neighborhood of Chicago, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law House Bill 2877, which creates the framework for Illinois to use federal funding to assist renters and property owners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Illinois Rental Payment Program will distribute over $1 billion in funding to support residents experiencing housing distress.

“Today is a beautiful day. It’s a day to celebrate because this funding brings the sense of hope many families desperately need,” Aquino said. “Families will be able to remain together, stay in their homes, and have some comfort because of this law.”

CHICAGO – Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a new law that invests $150 million in health care services for underserved communities while encouraging a collaborative environment among local stakeholders. The approach acknowledges particular challenges to achieving high-quality health services and responds based on a case-by-case system.

“This is a bottom-up approach for all communities in Illinois. Ultimately, we want to make sure that no matter where you live in our state, there should be high-quality health care available to every community,” said State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago), a co-sponsor of the law and advocate for the Hospital Transformation Program.

The disparities in access to health care services in the city of Chicago alone are so extreme that the neighborhood where someone lives can dramatically impact their life expectancy.